Articles

Achieving safe hospitals requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses the necessary policy, legal, and technical issues, and that ensures that all relevant institutions and actors will contribute to reaching the goal. Recognition by planners of the social, economic and political benefits of health care facilities that continue to function in disasters is considered a fundamental element in advancing this initiative, and in ensuring that there is a perception of real results on the part of the public.

In addition to a policy platform, a legal framework that supports the policy and technical support, it is also necessary to establish a formal program that indicates specific actions, timeframes, and designated responsible staff to facilitate monitoring progress.

a. National and international political agreements

• National civil defense/protection systems should be made aware of the multisectoral nature of the challenge and collaborate on this issue.
• Subregional agencies involved in disaster risk reduction should be involved.
• The topic should receive visibility and should be presented to ministers, congressional health committees, national directors of health, and those responsible for providing health services.

These agreements should reflect a political will to implement these measures, including a policy with work plans and clear strategies and a national safe hospitals program that makes it possible to carry out action, allocate resources and monitor and evaluate progress.

Achievement Indicators

• Number of new safe hospitals versus total number of hospitals built.
• Number of safe existing hospitals versus total number of hospitals identified as priorities (according to critical areas, square meters of space, beds, capacity, etc.).
• Number of hospitals that continued operating given the number of intense phenomena that occurred.
• Health networks that continued to provide services after a disaster